44 
Transactions Texas Academy of Science. 
Crotali generally; scales rounded at the posterior apex, carinated but 
slightly. 
General color above, that of roll sulphur; beneath, pale yellowish. 
Posteriorily, very faintly clouded with brownish. Tail black. Ante- 
riorily the scutellse (ventrals or gastrosteges) are entirely immaculate. 
Along the back is a series of transverse reddish or chestnut brown lozen- 
ges embraced in a width of twelve or fourteen scales and four or five 
scales long, and with the exterior angles produced to the abdomen. These 
lozenges are frames wdth the outlines generally one scale in width, and 
with the centers of the ground color; sometimes divided by a median 
line of brown so as to show two yellowish spots inside of the lozenges. 
The scales exterior to the lozenges are rather lighter. Sometimes the 
brown rings and the lozenges widen at the abdomen and indicate lateral 
spots of four scales; at others, and especially anteriorly, the rings are 
obsolete and the brown is in a dorsal series. In fact, for the anterior 
fourth of the body we have a dorsal patch of brown showing alternately, 
at successive intervals, one large yellowish spot and then a pair of smaller 
ones, owing to the confluence of the successive lozenges. The supercil- 
iaries and scales anterior to them, as well as a broad patch below and 
behind the eye, light greenish brown. Tail uniform dark-brown above, 
paler beneath. 
A remarkable character of this species is that each individual scale 
is of the same uniform tint to its base, and not showing two colors as 
in other species.” 
(Stejneger, "Poisonous Snakes of North America”). 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
Quoting from Report Nat. Museum, 1893, page 426 : "The Texas 
specimen upon which Hallowell based the Crotalus Ornoius, was col- 
lected by Dr. Heerman at the Pecos River, en route between El Paso 
and San Antonio, and is so far the only specimen obtained in Texas.” 
(C. ornatus is now considered a synonym of C. molossus.) 
HABITS. 
Nothing is known of its habits. 
CROTALUS CONFLUENTIT S, Say. 
("Prairie Rattlesnake.”) 
Plate X. 
DESCRIPTION. 
"Head subtriangular. Plates on top of head squamiform, irregular, 
angulated, and imbricated; scales between superciliaries (supraoculars), 
